System and method for monitoring a mobile computing product/arrangement

• US 8,773,260 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2011
• Issued: 07/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Wulff, Thomas, Bellows, David, Cordes, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/097,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20110205076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/568.1, 340/539.11, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 340/539.13
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/50 for measuring linear speed G01P3/56 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light indicating depth of field G03B13/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/18 Signals indicating condition of a camera member or suitability of light
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3246 by software initiated power-off
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2101 Auditing as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Described is a system and method for monitoring a mobile computing Arrangement. The arrangement may include a sensor and a processor. The sensor detects first data of an event including a directional orientation and a motion of the arrangement. The processor compares the first data to second data to determine if at least one predetermined procedure is to be executed. The second data may include a predetermined threshold range of changes in the directional orientation and the motion. If the predetermined procedure is to be executed, the processor selects the predetermined procedure which corresponds to the event as a function of the first data. Subsequently, the predetermined procedures is executed.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a housing;

a sensor coupled to the housing, the sensor generating a sensor signal in response to detecting a motion of the housing; and

a processor receiving the sensor signal from the sensor, the processor activating an alert in response to comparing the sensor signal to a threshold signal, wherein the threshold signal corresponds to a state in which the mobile computing device is at rest for a preset period of time.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising a security module coupled to the processor, the security module activating the alert in response to receiving an alarm signal from the processor.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the alert comprises at least one of a sound, a light, a graphic, a terminal access lock, a mechanical device lock, and a terminal shut down mode.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication arrangement for transmitting a signal to a remote device in response to the activation of the alert.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 4, wherein the remote device comprises one of an access point, a server, a mobile computing device, a gateway device, and a client computer.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising a memory for storing at least one of the sensor signal and the threshold signal.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising an input device for providing a password to disable the alert.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a piezo electric device, and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device.

9. The mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising a global positioning system (GPS) module for tracking a location of the mobile computing device.

10. The mobile computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor activates the alert upon tracking the mobile device beyond a predetermined location.

11. A method, comprising:

detecting, using a sensor, a motion of a mobile computing device;

generating a sensor signal in response to detecting the motion of the mobile computing device; and

activating an alert by comparing the sensor signal to a threshold signal, wherein the threshold signal corresponds to a state in which the mobile computing device is at rest for a preset period of time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the alert comprises at least one of a sound, a light, a graphic, a terminal access lock, a mechanical device lock, and a terminal shut down process.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising transmitting a signal to a remote device in response to the activation of the alert.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote device comprises one of an access point, a server, a mobile computing device, a gateway device, and a client computer.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing at least one of the sensor signal and the threshold signal.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising inputting a password to disable the alert.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a piezo electric device, and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising activating the alert upon tracking the mobile computing device beyond a predetermined location.

19. A mobile computing device, comprising:

a sensor generating a sensor signal in response to detecting a motion of the mobile computing device;

means for activating an alert by comparing the sensor signal to a threshold signal, wherein the threshold signal corresponds to a state in which the mobile computing device is at rest for a preset period of time; and

a wireless communication arrangement for transmitting an alarm signal to a remote device in response to the activation of the alert.